This week the Sharks were still on a high from the convincing win the previous week.  It was a mid-morning KO and everybody was in a good mood. Dylan had returned after a missed training session and was due to have a late fitness test.  Unfortunately Harry was once again called for a photo shoot that meant that he was unavailable for today’s game. 
 
The Sharks started as follows, Dylan having passed his late fitness test he started in goal once again. Followed by Elliott, Jack, Giacomo, Jake, Caleb, and Freddie filling the starting 7 places which meant that Liam, Aidan and Josh all started from the bench. Once again, we were assigned what appeared to be a official looking ref which was pleasing to see, as I knew this game was going to be closely fought as we just about overcome the same opposition no more than 4 weeks previous.
 
The Sharks started brightly but didn’t have a lot of the ball to show for their efforts, it was looking like this was going to be a tough morning for the boys.  The opposition showed a lot of respect for the Sharks by keeping two defenders back at all times, this gave me hope, as currently the Sharks were not stringing many passes together and playing into the opposition’s hands to often. After about 5/10 minutes the Sharks managed to get to grips with the game, Jack was trying to play the ball wide and up the wings when possible, Elliott was also trying to show his ability on the ball by trying to playing out from the back, but on occasions they were being tackled and caught on the ball when the simple pass would have done the job. Giacomo was once again being busy in the middle of the park but was not really getting that much joy. Freddie was finding it hard to get himself involved in the game, because I was asking him to hold his position out wide trying to get them to stretch the play and create space for other players.  The same could be said for Caleb on the other side of midfield, he was battling hard but wasn’t really getting much joy, and Jake in his attempts to get the ball was dropping too deep into midfield leaving the Sharks with no outlet ball when the ball was played up field.
 
After some encouraging words from the side lines, Jake adjusted his position to provide an outlet, Elliott and Jack started passing the ball out from the back a little more which gave Freddie some more ball, that enabled him to use his quick feet to try and create for the forward running players.  The Sharks managed to then take the lead, this was through some excellent work from Liam who by this point had come on to the field of play along with Josh and Aidan.  Liam picked the ball up on the left-hand side of midfield and drove with the ball up the wing, this put the Sharks in a more advanced position and enabled us to build our attacks further up the pitch. The opposition were defending well but only managed to half clear their lines.  The ball broke to Gaicomo close to the oppositions penalty area, he drove into the box before unleashing thunderous shot into the roof of the net giving the oppositions goalkeeper no chance of saving it. 
 
With the Sharks leading, you could see the belief in the lads that they could go on to win this game comfortably, but this was a dangerous thing, as rather than holding our shape everyone decided that they wanted to get themselves on the scoresheet.  This meant that we were leaving ourselves open at the back and giving the opposition forwards the freedom they wanted as well as the space they needed.  With this the opposition they managed to draw themselves level, with the ball once again bouncing around in the middle of the park.  The opposition played a neat through ball, which cut out our defence completely and allowed one of the opposition forward to charge in on goal with both Elliott and Jack giving chase.  With the ball getting closer to Dylan I was expecting him to come and claim the ball as it was getting close enough for him to do so, but he choose to stay on his line instead and the ball trickled into our net uncontested.  A disappointing goal to concede and Dylan was upset about this and threw his cap down in disgust. This will be a mental challenge now for Dylan as goalkeepers have a thankless task of being either the hero or the villain, but I am very grateful to Dylan for playing in goal full time. 
 
So, with the scores level and the game evenly balanced, the Sharks managed to pull ahead again through Jake this time.  It is good to see that Jake has found his goal scoring touch again as the effort that he shows deserves a reward, and todays goal was his fourth in two games.  The build-up play was again good, with some good work from Jack, Giacomo and Freddie all playing their part in creating the chance for Jake which he took with great glee. 
 
As the first half came to a close the Sharks were leading, I expected the opposition to come back at us again.  We have learnt that we have to keep playing until the final whistle. 
So, the second half got under way and the Sharks looked in a dominate mood with Aidan now finding his feet and running down the right wing effortlessly, taking people on, drawing fouls. He will soon become a very important player, and the best thing about this that he wants to and can also score goals.
 
The Sharks managed to score another goal doubling our advantage, this was directly down to Aidan, working hard, getting the ball and playing a great through ball that fell to Giacomo.  He made no mistakes by planting his shot wide of the goalkeeper and making that his second goal of the game. 
 
This seemed to stun the opposition, and they retreated further back into their own half which in turn gave the Sharks the space they needed to exploit whilst looking for another goal, and this dually came via Jake and his right foot. This was his second goal of the game and fifth in two games so again a massive well done. 
 
The opposition then had a rare chance to grab a goal back, but thanks to Dylan’s brillant save we manager to keep our advantage as it was.  With some words of encouragement, and a reminder that we had to keep our shape we were able to make changes to both positions, and the players on the pitch.
 
Josh is continuing to develop and is making steady progress, Caleb is also becoming a valuable member of the team, with his ability to be able to play in a number of positions. 
 
With the team reshaped the Sharks were awarded a penalty for a foul in the oppositions box, it was the right decision but also good play from the lads, as they kept the pressure on and retained the ball in the box drawing the foul.   As Jack has been given the duty of penalty taker, he placed the ball down, waited for the Ref to indicate that he was allowed to take and  he then took the penalty well, dispatching the ball perfectly into the back of the net with a clean strike of the ball. 
 
With only minutes remaining in the second half the Sharks were controlling the game well, the score line was a fair reflection on their performance, if anything the score line could have been greater, but some good saves from the oppositions goal keeper meant we had to settle for what we had already achieved. 
 
So, the game finished and the Sharks had won again, the boys must be enjoying this winning streak as much as I am. So, we move onto next week full of confidence, and looking to continue this run. 
 
Thanks again to all the parents for bringing and supporting the boys, it is great seeing them develop and improve their own games. 
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​The Sharks were returning after a confidence boasting comeback-victory last week that took courage, bravery and belief to achieve. We were now faced with another challenge, having to play our home fixture away from home, and with an early start and a fair distance to travel I want to say a big thank you to my parents for the great turn out,  and to the opposition for allowing us to do this otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this match report but entering a postponement instead. 
It is a rare event that we have every Shark available this weekend, so the starting lineup is as follows: the returning Dylan in goal (welcome back), Elliott, Jack, Giacomo, Jake, Freddie and Caleb, which means Liam, Josh, Harry and Aidan will be starting from the bench this week.  I just want to stress, with the boys who start from the bench it isn’t that they are playing badly or not valued but it is an opportunity to have a strong bench that enables me to balance the team as best as I can.
With the wind blowing and a low sun, the Sharks kicked off the first half looking to extend their winning run, we were expecting a tough game as this was the first time that we were playing this team who had just moved into our league from the one above.
The game started well, with Giacomo being ‘work man like’ in the middle of the park, closing players down and creating space for others too. The Sharks were on top during the early exchanges creating good chances for Freddie, Jake and Giacomo;  Jake and Elliott looking solid at the back; Jack was pushing forward supporting Giacomo well, filling in the gaps that were being left and tiding up if and when needed.  Caleb was being disciplined, holding his position well and covering defensive duties when we had an attacking corner. 
The Sharks took an early lead through Jake, it was smart play from Aidan that helped create this, he broke the play up well holding onto the ball before passing to Giacomo who created the space that Jake run onto before receiving his pass.  He controlled the ball well before lashing the ball into the back on the net.  A great start especially for Jake, as he really needed that goal to help his confidence. 
As the game settled into a good pattern, the Sharks were becoming dominant making Dylan a spectator at points during the first half. The Sharks then doubled their lead through Aidan, I cannot tell you how happy it makes me that Aidan managed to score his second goal for the Sharks this season.  He took it well.  He won the ball fair and square via a 50/50 challenge, strided into the box before hitting a crisp shot that ended in the back of the net. This put the Sharks into a commanding position.
As the game continued, the same pattern was shaping up.  I believe the boys sensed that there were goals to be scored and they began running with the ball rather than passing and moving into space as they should have been doing. 
As the first half was coming to a close, the Sharks managed to triple their lead.  This time it was a scrappy goal. This came about because the lads refused to let the opposition have time on the ball that they wanted, they fought for everything that became lose, and with that determination the ball broke to Laim who stabbed the ball home.  
With seconds remaining of the first half, Giacomo burst through the middle of the park, he was bearing down on goal, and was just about to take his shot when his chance was snatched away from him by the half time whistle.  This was a shame because I had no doubts that Giacomo would have extend our lead further. 
With a quick pep talk, reminding them all to PASS the ball and not to just run with it the Sharks took to the field for the second half.  As the second half begun, it was clear that the Sharks were too strong on this particular day, because within the first 5 minutes the Sharks managed to add another couple of goals making the score line look very one sided, these goals were added by Giacomo, and Freddie, both were scored from close range. 
In an attempt to give some of the Sharks who it needed more playing time, I was able to reshape the team to give them a chance and also give some of the lad’s different roles so they could express themselves without having defensive responsibility. 
Now with the team reshaped and still having a strong balance, the Sharks managed to add more goals to the score line.  This time Jake scored another well taken goal. Then Aidan scored again, his second in the game, this came from a corner that the keeper failed to hold onto that Aidan was able to volley home from close range.  
The opposition were trying extremely hard to get onto the score, and were starting to get some joy, but when they did breach our defensive line we were thankful for Dylan who managed to pull off a good save. 
The Sharks then added another couple of goals, these were from Giacomo, his second of the game, and Freddie, once again scoring two within one game. So we had four players who had scored two goals each, Giacomo, Freddie, Aidan and Jake, but who would manage to get their hat trick.
With the result now safe and the game effectively over, I was able to make further changes to the team, still keeping a good balance.  The opposition then managed to pull a goal back, with a good shot that Dylan managed to get a hand to but could not stop completely.  The ref made the decision that the ball had crossed the line and gave the goal, if the ball crossed the line or not I am not 100% sure, but I was happy for the opposition who to their credit never gave up and deserved something from this game.
With the team, now reshaped, and Elliott playing in a more advanced role, the Sharks added another goal from the boot of Elliott, which was well laid on by Giacomo, Giacomo had a chance for the hat trick but was unselfish and played through to Elliot instead.  Well done young man. 
Then came the moment of the match, where poor Harry managed to do a Steven Gerrard:  He was in complete control, but the vital moment when he was only a few yard off his attacker he turned sharply and slipped over allowing the attacker to race clean through in on goal to score.  There was no doubting this time that the ball had crossed the line. 
With the game coming to a close it was Jake that managed to claim the honor of scoring his third goal of the game.  Jack broke play up again, and attempted a long range effort, with the wind holding the ball up, Jake stole in front of the goal keeper and got his head to the ball, this sent the ball up and over the goal keeper for a great goal. 
The game closed with a convincing win, every lad played really well, Josh is starting to show signs that he is adjusting to a bigger pitch, Harry is improving week upon week.  Well done to all of the lads that scored, but it was a team effort and without everybody involved this result could not have been achieved.  
Thank you to all you parents once again for your support to the boys and myself, you are the people that make this team.  

​The Sharks were coming into this first game of 2020 off the back of a good hard fought victory. With the shuffling of leagues, it was all change for the second half of the season. Regardless of the opposition the Sharks were positive of getting an another victory.  The news that Dylan was not able to play due to an injury was not ideal, but we would reshuffle things and try our best regardless.  So we started the game as follows. Jack in goal (to start with at least) Elliott, Aidan, Giacomo, Liam, Jake, Freddie with Caleb, Josh and Harry starting from the bench. 
The game started and the Sharks were a little off tune.   I put this down to the change in positions and the Christmas break rather than the opposition forcing the Sharks into mistakes. The Sharks didn’t have good shape and the midfield were not tracking back as well as they should have, but with that said, the Sharks managed to have the first effort on goal.  This came from an ambitious effort from Liam, collecting the ball well from Giacomo, taking a player on and having a shot when the chance presented itself to him.    
After only 5 minutes the Sharks were behind, this was due to a good move from the opposition that isolated Elliott and took him out of the game.   Elliott wasn’t able to recover and the opposition scored past Jack who tried his best to stop it but without much luck. 
The Sharks now had to draw themselves level, and they set about the task brilliantly with efforts from Giacomo, Liam, Freddie and Elliott all testing the oppositions goal keeper, but unfortunately with no goal to show for it.  As it looked like we were going to draw level the opposition managed to extend their lead again. The Sharks were out of position, and not holding the correct shape, letting the opposition have space they needed.  But either way they still had to score which they did.  
The Sharks now found themselves a couple of goals adrift and I felt that this was going to be one of those days that things were not going to go our way.  This was only highlighted by a penalty appeal being waved away.  I think VAR might have had something to say about that if that was in use. So the Sharks continued to ask more questions knowing that one goal before half time was going to make all the difference. But the goal went in the oppositions favor, with some bright play and a neat finish.  The Sharks had a mountain to climb as the first half came to a close.   
I must mention Harry now. He had to came on very early into the first half and play a position that is normally played very well by Jack.  Harry managed brilliantly, putting in every ounce of effort that he had; running, tackling back, not giving up when he lost the ball and making life hard for the opposition, preventing them from scoring as best he could  Of that alone he should be super proud of himself. 
Liam took over in goal and Jack come out onto pitch. The half time chat was brief but simply, ‘Do not concede another goal!’, and try and claw our way back into this game. 
Just as the second half got underway, the Sharks conceded another goal, just to make our challenge even more interesting. So we had to score multiple goals to even think about drawing level let alone winning it. 
Now the tale of the second half really got underway.  With Jack and Elliott resuming their normal positions the Sharks finally started to look like an attacking threat, with Freddie playing some smart through balls that both Jake and Giacomo were running on to. Caleb, Harry, Jack and Elliott were all breaking up the play brilliantly, Josh was entering the field and making an impact, he is also doing more running and applying more pressure where he can. 
The break though finally happened when Giacomo scored his first of the game with some bright play by Aidan who had returned to playing on the right hand side of midfield, collecting the ball holding o ff a player and passing the ball into space. The ball broke to Giacomo who drove towards goal before slotting home nicely. 
The recovery was underway, and it appeared that the boys believed that to be the case too, we were now defending better and trying to pass the ball more. Elliott was making impressive runs which was causing real trouble for the opposition, and this was how our next goal came about.  An impressive run and pass, leading to the ball falling at Freddie’s feet, and my little fox in the box didn’t let me down. He slid the ball into the back of the net to halve the oppositions lead.  The opposition management sensed that the comeback was on, as they changed shape to try restrict the Sharks and prevent us from scoring again. 
Within 3 minutes of the Sharks halving the lead they managed to claw another goal back, this was scored by Giacomo again, bursting through the middle and holding off a challenge before finishing well.  This goal gave the Sharks a massive lift and belief that we could win this game, it was now becoming a race against time as we were entering the final 10 minutes. 
The Sharks had a massive effort denied by a good save from the keeper, the cross bar and the roof of the net. Elliott struck his shot so true that everybody was surprised not to see the net ripple, I think it hit the goal keeper, the underside of the cross bar then the net before the opposition goal keeper clawed it back out… this was a shame as Elliott deserved that, but minutes later the Sharks had drawn level through another goal from Freddie, an amazing effort by all. 
The ball was played into the box, then after a short scrabble landed in Freddie’s path who stabbed the ball into the back of the net. The lads were over joyed to be level, but they weren’t finished there.  The opposition could not believe that the Sharks had managed to claw themselves back into this game.  The Sharks went about trying to now win the game, an unbelievable thought at the start of the second half, and the come back was complete. Giacomo popped up with the winning strike, his third goal of the game and we had no more than a minute to hold on to this great result which the Sharks managed to do. 
This has to go down as one of the best games the Sharks have had!  We were dead and buried after the first half, but the boys pulled together and got the result they deserved for their effort and courage they had shown. 
Once again thanks or the fantastic support from you parents, this team wouldn’t be anything without you guys. 
So onto next week in high spirts. Well done Sharks.

With this being the last game before Christmas and a first away game for 5 weeks we were looking to make amends for a narrow defeat the previous week.  With only Harry not available due to endorsement commitments the Sharks had a full strength team.  The Sharks starting lineup was as follows; Dylan in Goal, Elliott, Jack, Freddie, Jake, Liam and Aidan, which meant that Josh, Giacomo, and Caleb all started on the bench. 
With a professional looking ref inspecting each goal as they were placed the game kicked off at its assigned time.  The boys started very brightly doing most of the running in the first 5 minutes, with both Elliott and Jack looking solid, Freddie working neatly in the attacking midfield role, Aidan showing quick feet and body strength, and Liam showing his normal battling nature down the left hand side. 
As the game progressed, the opposition managed to work their way into the game, especially one of the forward players who was impressive.  He was managing to give Elliott the run around with his ability to keep the ball close and twist away from Elliott when he tried to tackle him.  This was one of main reasons why the opposition managed to take the lead. 
The ball was played into an attacking area by the opposition,  Elliot went in to challenge them but was left chasing his tail by the attacking player after a neat turn.  This then brought Jack into play. Both Elliott and Jack have a good understanding of covering each other; Jack made up the required ground, put in an attempt to block the shot, he failed the opposition player in the box and gave away a penalty.  This was the first meaningful attack by the opposition who took the penalty well and scored.  This was hard to swallow as this meant that the Sharks had to fight their way back into the game once more. 
We didn’t have to wait long for the game to draw level, the Sharks were applying pressure and getting some success down the wings.  Jake seems to enjoy the role of winger at the moment. He was collecting the ball, cutting inside and out before delivering good crosses into the box.  If it wasn’t for not being able to control the football, the Sharks  would probably have drawn level earlier and taken the lead, but this is something that we can work on in the new year. 
As the pressure continued to build, the Sharks scored past another impressive goal keeper. Giacomo played a neat pass to Aidan who managed to get the ball back to him, enabling Giacomo to break through the defensive line and thump his shot into the roof of the net giving the keeper no chance.  
With the Sharks now level we began to apply more pressure giving us more chances to score.  But again we faced with another outstanding goal keeper who managed to save most things that came his way.  I had a sinking feeling that it was going to prove a frustrating morning, but I was proud of the way the boys stuck to the task of trying to gain the lead. 
We had another glorious chance, this time from a free kick, it was roughly 15/20 yards out, pretty much central but slightly to the left hand side and Jack was tasked with taking it. Jack took aim and had a great shot, it was destined to go into the top corner, but was well saved and the rebound bounced to safety for a corner.  The first half finished with the Sharks doing all of the pushing; Josh making an impact, doing more running and more hassling than seen before, so a massive well done to him, Caleb again being disciplined and tackling back and forth, and filling in for Elliott when he goes for corners proving his value to the team.     
With the second half underway, the normal pattern resumed, the Sharks pinned the opposition back and limited the amount of attacks they had.  Credit must be given to all of the team as they worked so hard and well together. 
With the game looking more than likely to be a draw, the opposition gave the Sharks a wakeup call.  They broke through the middle of the park catching both Jack, Elliott and Giacomo out of position  The attacking player was bearing down on goal, we were looking to Dylan to save the day, but to the managements horror Dylan had his back turned to the play and was walking around in a circle trying to keep himself amused as the Sharks were dominating the game. With the management telling Dylan to face the play NOW the attacker was put off and struck the ball but it hit the post and bounced to safety  This was a massive relief to everyone connected to the Sharks, Dylan must have been a cat in a previous life because he used a life up then for sure.
With time running down, another free kick was given to the Sharks. Once again Jack was charged with hitting the target from distance, and he did not disappoint and this time the Sharks made sure that we had bodies around the goal keeper, so if he saved it, it might present a chance to the waiting players.  The keeper saved well like before, but this time it fell to Freddie, he took a touch, but was block off, so Giacomo tried his luck, and somehow the ball managed to wriggle past the post for a goal kick. 
Now the game was entering the last 5 minutes a chance presented itself to Giacomo, a poor goal kick resulted in Jack challenging him for the ball, the ball then broke to Giacomo and with the opposition’s goal keeper out of position, Giacomo tried his luck and shot from distance  The ball bounced and bobbled its way into the back of the net giving the Sharks a deserved lead with only a number of minutes left to play. The Sharks changed formation to secure the result. 
The Sharks finished the game as we had played it…on top!  This had been an entertaining game, that could have gone either way, but glad it went our way as I felt that we deserved it with the amount of effort that the boys had put in.
So we finished before Christmas with a victory, and a well-deserved break for both players and parents. 
As always thanks for all your help and effort, the Sharks would not be a team if it wasn’t for the parents and the boys.  Have a great time and I will see you all in the new year.    

​On Sunday morning for a change and our last home game before Christmas, the Sharks were looking to return to winning ways after a battling performance the week previous that earned us a draw.
This week our goal keeper Dylan was called up, therefore wasn’t available for selection so a stand in goal keeper was required.  That honor fell to Liam, normally our effective left midfield player. 
So the Sharks lined up this week as follows. Liam in goal. Elliott, Jack, Giacomo, Jake, Freddie and Caleb with Josh and Aidan starting on the bench.    
As the game got underway, the Sharks looked to take control of the game early on, passing the ball better than they normally do, and trying to work as a team, as the pitch remained bad and heavy, which was making the conditions testing.  It became clear early on that the opposition had a great goalkeeper, small in size but with plenty character and was collecting and saving everything that was coming his way. 
The Sharks formation was causing the opposition trouble, we were over loading the midfield and stopping them from playing the ball into attacking positions. As the first half was about 15mins old, the Sharks had registered a number of shots on target but the opposition goal keeper was up to the task, so it seemed that being patient and to continue pressing appeared to be in order. 
The opposition managed to pull ahead through a mistake at the back by Jack, he tried to be creative in a dangerous position, if it would have come off would have been brilliant, but as it didn’t it was egg on your face time, which meant that Jack and Elliott were both caught out of position and the opposition attacker had a free run on goal.  He remained calm and placed the ball just wide of Liam who was impressing in goal.  This meant that the Sharks had to come from a goal down, not for the first time so everybody was remaining calm and we kept trying to play football as best as we could to draw level. 
But as stated, the Sharks were enjoying a plenty of position and chances, but we were being rebuffed by this fantastic goalkeeper.  Jake, Giacomo, Freddie, Jack and Elliott all having efforts on target but were all stopped and saved brilliantly. 
The game was becoming a little physical, with players being fouled and complaining of fouls that was being committed and tempers were beginning to get thin with a number of the Shark players. So the first half finished with the Sharks trailing but everybody thought that it was something that could be turned around. 
The second half started, and the Sharks once again pushed on to find an equalizer that would draw the game level. But the opposition continued with the physical approach to the game and on a select number of Shark players too, it became clear that tempers were beginning to go, and steps had to be taken to calm the situation. 
 As tensions began to raise between the players the opposition managed to extend their lead, it was harsh for the Sharks to concede, Liam pulled off a great save, but the ball dropped perfectly for the opposition attacker who didn’t need a second invitation to slot the ball home. 
The Sharks continued to pond the oppositions goal, but as before the goalkeeper was having an outstanding game.  If it wasn’t for the oppositions goalkeeper I am comfortable in saying that the Sharks would have been well in the lead and the game would have been over, but this wasn’t the case and a lesson that needed to learnt from this was the Sharks need to be more clinical in front of goal when faced with a good goalkeeper and to be able to work themselves into better positions to shoot from.
 As the game drew to a close, it was a valuable lesson that the boys need to take note from.  Sometime you do not get what you deserve with the effort that you have put in, but we will certainly need to keep applying ourselves like this, and we will win more games than we lose. 
A special mention has to be given to all of the boys this week, due to testing conditions that they played in:  Liam showed great character to go into goal when not feeling 100% and he should feel proud of his performance, Elliott as always was again big and strong, and rose to the physical challenge that was presented to him, Jack remained deft and skillful while also raising to the challenge when the time came. Giacomo battled away through testing conditions, he tried to play football in the right way whenever possible, Caleb played brilliantly, tracking back and being disciplined when needed and also rising to the challenge, Aidan also remained skillful under the pressure that was applied to him, producing good crosses and passes too, Freddie showed that he was able to adapt and play another position when required, keeping calm under pressure too, Josh tried his hardest as normal, giving everything within his capabilities, and last but not least our returning Shark Jake, he showed great endeavor with his running and ball carrying, and hard game back for him but pleased to have him back in the fold regardless.       
So we move onto next week our last game before Xmas, so fingers crossed we can come away with a positive result and help with our Christmas cheer. 
Once again thanks to my parents for all the effort and support that they are giving to the boys and me. 

​The Sharks were looking to extend their winning run to four games, but was going to be tested today with a number of players being called up for international duty or they were feeling under the weather and under the doctors orders they were sidelined.  Whatever the reasons that these players were not available, I had the confidence that the players we had playing on this cold afternoon were capable of getting the result we needed. 
So the team was as follows, Dylan in goal, Jack, Elliott, Harry, Liam, Giacomo, Josh with the subs bench only consisting of my daughter who was acting ball girl for the game. So it meant that some of the boys would be completing their first full game of the season, so a test for them and Sharks. 
As the game got underway, it was made clear to them that they needed to pass the ball more, as they would tire quickly if they didn’t as the pitch was heavy and very boggy from the bad weather that we had had recently and the amount of games that have been played on it, but it was the same for both teams and we needed to get on with it and try our best. 
The game started well for the Sharks, they took notice and with the first 5 minutes passing quickly the boys were passing the ball around nicely and creating chances, but it was proving to be a bit sticky and an uneven surface that prevented the ball to run as freely as I would have liked. 
Both Jack and Elliott were once again looking comfortable at the back, protecting Dylan well who is growing with each game that is passing.  With the Sharks quick start and possession, the opposition were slowly growing into the game, and causing a few problems for the Sharks.  I more put this down to the pitch being heavy and not being able to freshen the team up when the boys got tired. 
Then the opposition took the lead, against the run of play if I am being honest, the ball broke down our left hand side, with Liam trying to recover his position on the left of midfield they managed to get a cheeky shot off that lobbed up in the air and over Dylan into the back of the net. This was a bit of a body blow to the lads as they had started the game so well. and I feared that due to the pitch and no subs the Sharks were going to run out of steam or try to force for an equalizer that would leave gaps at the back for the opposition to exploit. 
But I didn’t have to wait long for the Sharks to draw level, through some gritty play from Gaicomo, Jack and Harry.  We managed to force the play and create some good space that was used perfectly.  The ball was played out wide by Giacomo (who was now seeming to embrace my request that he pass the ball more and then look to get it back in a better position rather than trying to dribble the ball through the team) He passed to Jack who made a good run up the right hand side, exchanging passes with Harry before crossing the ball into the box, after some confusion, the ball fell to Giacomo who gratefully lashed the ball into the back of the net giving the keeper no chance. 
 
 
Now the game was level, and we had managed to pull ourselves back into the game.  The Sharks appeared to look for another chance that would give us the lead. With not many chances presenting themselves we had to try and be patient and support each other, because the game was there for the taking.  A glorious chance fell to Josh, but unfortunately he slipped just as he was about to take a shot on goal, a shame because that would have been a well worked goal and team effort. 
The first half finished and the boys still seemed to have energy in their legs, which was a positive sign, I would normally make some changes to try and give the boys a break but unfortunately this could not happen, so we took to the field for the second half with the same players looking to take the game to the opposition and try and take the lead for the first time in the game. 
Again, it was a matter of trying to be patient, and we would get the reward that we deserved, it is like the big bad wolf and the three little pigs, we had to keep knocking on the door in the hope that something will give and the ball would end up in the back of net. 
As we were half way through the second half some chances fell to the Sharks. Liam had a great shot saved by an impressive opposition goal keeper, Giacomo had another one saved well, and Harry also managed a shot that tested the keeper. But a special mention for Dylan, he managed to turn over a great shot, his reactions were great, it is good to see that his goal keeper training is paying off. 
The game started to get a little scrappy, and wayward. With a few fouls that could have been avoided, I believe that this was down to frustration creeping into the lads as they stopped encouraging each other and passing the ball and tried to do everything themselves.  This lead to the opposition retaining the ball in dangerous positions and getting more chances than I would have liked.   
The game came to a close level, I believe that the Sharks had the better of the play, and if we would have maintained our passing and kept doing the right things, we would have probably come out with the victory that we deserved, but we were still happy to remain unbeaten and we can look to put things right next week. 
Once again a massive well done to the lads, the effort they showed could not be faulted it was a hard game on a pitch that is more suited to a mud bath than a football pitch. Also a big thank you, to all of the parents that came and supported the Sharks on the cold afternoon and helped pack away the equipment at the end of the game.  
On to next week now and fingers cross another positive result

​With the Sharks looking to extend the winning streak to three against a strong opposition, confidence was high and the boys were in very good spirts.  Sometimes a little too high, but they were enjoying themselves which is the main thing. 
So the Sharks lined up as follows:  Dylan in goal, Jack, Elliott, Giacomo, Liam, Aidan and Freddie, with Josh, Harry and Caleb starting on the bench.  Unfortunately Jake was still missing but it won’t be long before he is back fighting fit and ready for the Sharks.  
 The game started with both sides being nervy, both trying to gain the upper hand in first exchanges of the game  Both Elliott and Jack seemed comfortable enough, with both lads working well in tandem, with one making the tackle and the other sweeping up behind and vice versa.  It would seem that they have come to a great understanding which is pleasing to see. Dylan is looking more comfortable in goal as the weeks pass.  Aidan and Liam are both learning to hold their positions better which again Is pleasing to see, and Giacomo and Freddie also seem to be developing an understanding too, making runs off the ball for one another; with Josh, Caleb and Harry all coming into the team and making telling contributions too. It all adds up to a strong squad and a fantastic atmosphere, and with the return of Jake next week this will be the icing on the cake. 
The game was about 15 minutes old before the Sharks managed to break the deadlock, and pull ahead.  We managed this through Giacomo, with his energy and enthusiasm he managed to win the ball back in the middle of the park, pass the ball to Aidan who took a player on before attempting to cross the ball  This took a wicked deflection and bounced back to Freddie who passed the ball into space that Giacomo raced onto, he controlled the ball well and took a touch before slotting the ball home nicely. 
With the pitch having been played on twice before our game, it was cutting up badly and making it harder to play football on, but both teams were trying hard, attempting to pass the ball and play the game in the correct way.  The game was finely balanced but the Sharks were managing to contain most of what the opposition was throwing at them, with some excellent performances from Harry, who appears to finding his feet on a bigger pitch now, and will be pushing for a starting place very soon I have no doubt. Caleb as well. He is playing different positions though out the first half but did very well regardless of where he was asked to play. 
The first half came to a close with the Sharks managing to retain a slender lead.  With the short walk to the home dressing room, and a few encouraging words the Sharks took to the field once more looking to build on the lead that they already have. 
Freddie, Harry and Caleb started the Second half on the bench, giving Josh a chance to impress from the start of the half, and boy did he take his chance.  He was full of running, and making a real difference, tackling defenders and putting himself in good positions which was impressive to see. 
With the second half no more than 5/6minutes old Josh struck to double the Sharks lead, with good work from Giacomo, Freddie and Elliott applying pressure after the ball had been played up from the back by Caleb.  The ball was bouncing around in the oppositions like a pin ball machine and eventually broke to Josh who was as cool as you like, passed the ball into the corner of the goal. This lead to wild celebrations from the team management, players and supports alike, as Josh tries so hard every single week and deserves his moment in the spotlight. 
As the Sharks have built up a two goal cushion, it appeared that this relaxed the lads, as we started to pass the ball more and create more chances, with Jack and Elliott now making surging runs from their defensive positions and taking shots from a distance.  These lead to the Sharks getting a corner, not their first of the game but the first of the second half. 
Jack is becoming very adept at striking a dead ball, and he has been entrusted with taking the Shark’s corners this season, he took a wonderful corner which dropped perfectly into the middle of the box, which Freddie managed to get on to the end of, and poke the ball home from close range, this extended the Sharks lead again, putting us firmly in control of the game. 
Before the game finished the Sharks managed to get another goal, this was once again Giacomo, with good work from Freddie, Harry, Caleb the ball got played through the oppositions defensive line, Giacomo raced onto it, and launched a blistering LEFT foot shot into the back of the net, this was even more impressive because Giacomo is right footed and has been trying hard to use his left more, so well done for the effort shown. 
It was now about keeping a clean sheet once more, and to continue to improve defensively, as this is just as important than scoring goals. With the last few minutes winding down the opposition were pushing for a conciliation goal, the Sharks had a few scares with the boys over committing and the midfield not tracking back as much as they should but we managed to hold out for our clean sheet and also score a number of goals too. 
So the win streak continues, and the boys are feeling good about themselves which is a massive boost, I just wanted to mention again how proud I am of the boys and grateful to the parents for their support in packing away and encouraging the boys.  
So onto next week and fingers crossed another victory.        

After the Shark’s impressive defensive display the previous week they were on a high and in good spirits and looking forward to the game.  With one of our injured players returning this gave another boost to the team. 
So the Sharks lined up as follows. Dylan in goal, Elliott, Jack, Giacomo, Freddie, Aidan and Liam starting the game, with Harry, Caleb and Josh starting from the bench. 
This game was going to be a good gauge, being the return fixture for the game that ended in a draw at the start of the season.  We would be able to see how far the boys have come and how they have got used to the bigger pitch and each other. 
As the game started, the opposition came at us quickly, and took the Sharks by surprise We conceded a very cheap goal that should have been avoided, both Jack, and Elliott were caught napping.  The opposition managed to take the lead with a good effort on goal.  I was hoping that this wouldn’t dampen the boys spirts, as I know that our previous game was a close and a tight affair. But the Sharks didn’t have to wait longer for a response. Aidan appeared to be in the mood and had started the game extremely well, picking up the ball, controlling it, making good runs off the ball, and also taking people on.  Our goal came directly from him, but credit must be given to others as well.  With Giacomo back in the middle of the park he was providing much needed energy to our play, closing down and trying to play the ball earlier.  The ball was closed down by Giacomo, who managed to feed the ball to Jack, who in turn played the ball to Aidan, Aidan then slipped a wonderful ball through to Freddie, who managed to control the ball and score past the oncoming opposition goalkeeper.  This seemed to give the boys more confidence. 
After the goal the Sharks started to get on top, and started controlling the game more, with the opposition still threatening but Jack and Elliott were managing to handle most of what that was being thrown at them, and with Dylan now our first choice keeper assisting we were looking assured from a defensive point of view. 
The Sharks then managed to take the lead and extend it, which was good to see.  Freddie was on fire, he managed to bag a first half hat trick in about 15mins which was excellent. But this couldn’t have been achieved without the other lads working extremely hard.  Aidan assisted in another goal and proved to himself that he is an important player for the Sharks. Same for Liam, who is continuing to work hard and develop his positional play. 
Harry, Caleb and Josh all coming on from the bench and making telling contributions. Josh continued his development, by having the confidence to pick the ball up and run with it, Harry was also developing steadily. His positional play is improving week upon week, I believe it is just confidence now that is required for him to take the next step, and Caleb is becoming a good little player too. He is the Sharks Mr Utility, as he is learning to play a number of positions which is a massive bonus.
With the Sharks now with a two-goal cushion, it seemed that we were going to push on and score more goals and put more into practice from the training field. The Sharks managed to extend the lead again, this time it was Liam that managed to score collecting the ball from Giacomo, Liam managed to turn his player well before driving a left foot shot into the bottom hand corner, a deserved goal for the effort that he was putting in recently, and it clearly showed with his celebration. 
The opposition by this point was struggling to contain the Sharks, as Freddie added another and fourth goal for the day. This time Elliott was the provider, bursting through the midfield before passing the ball well to Freddie for him to control and slotting home again!! 
But before the half was finished the opposition managed to pull back three goals!  It seemed that the Sharks had thought that the game had been won, but credit where credit is due, they managed to put us under pressure and to be honest we were hanging on to a slender lead as the half time whistle blew. 
With some words of encouragement and some positional adjustments, the Sharks took to the field to start the second half. 
With Aidan, Freddie and Harry starting on the bench, the second half started. We looked more compact and had a better shape.  Before long the Sharks managed to score another goal, this time it was Giacomo who scored. With some encouragement to shoot a little earlier and not over play he got what he deserved.  This eased our nerves and we started to play and pass the ball again. 
Caleb continued to show his importance to the team, by switching to a defensive position giving Jack a rest. He made some telling challenges and worked extremely hard so well done to you young man.  
The opposition seemed to change their shape which posed a problem for the lads, but they handled it well.  This made the game even closer, closing down the space that we enjoyed in the first half. So credit to the boys that we managed to restore our 3 goal cushion, and this goal was scored by…. you got it, Freddie! That made it five goals in one game, the only other player to do this for the Sharks was Jake who is currently injured.
So the action petered out and the final whistle blew, the Sharks finished the game with another victory.  That makes two in a row again. So our attention turns to next week and we try to continue this run and  remain unbeaten for the remainder of our fixtures.
Well done lads, and once again thanks to all the parents’ help setting up and the support that you show every week.          

​This weekend the Sharks were looking to get back to winning ways against strong opposition who hadn’t tasted defeat as of yet this season. Now the Sharks had all their players back from international duty it only left two players remaining in the treatment room. We wish them a speedy recovery so that they can join up with the mighty Sharks next week. 
So we started the game with Dylan in goal, Jack, Elliott, Liam, Aidan, Caleb and Freddie with Harry and Josh both starting from the bench.  Even from KO it appeared that this was going to be an even game.  With the opposition having three good football players within their ranks, so it was going to be an interesting test for the Sharks being devoid of both their main goal threats. 
I changed positions of a few players to try and get some energy into the middle of field, swapping Elliott with Jack from being the last man in defense to a central midfield role to provide energy and carry some goal threat. This was challenging enough as this was asking the lads to do something that they haven’t done before. 
Aidan and Liam provided good width which made the team look solid though little light upfront.  With Freddie coming back from international duty he looked a little out of sync with the team, but I have no fear that this won’t last too long. 
The game ebbed and flowed, with neither team managing to take control, but the opposition were looking the most likely to score.  Against the run of play the Sharks managed to score a goal out of nowhere. Elliot, working in midfield role this time, broke the play deep into the opposition’s half and the ball somehow made its way out to the left hand side to Liam, who drove past one player and took his shot early as he was being closed down by ongoing defenders. This early shot took the opposition goalkeeper by surprise as it went into the bottom hand corner to give us the lead. 
With few chances for both teams, the defense and midfield battles were hotting up and challenges were coming thick and fast.  It was again, in all honesty, the opposition that was on top, as the Sharks were not able to get up the field to relieve the pressure that was mounting. Dylan had been brave a number of times already, diving at on coming player’s feet to claim the ball and pull off some good saves too. 
Elliott, Harry and Jack stood tall at the back and defended well limiting the opposition to only a few clear chances that they pasted up thankfully. 
So the first half came to the close and the Sharks were holding on, but only just.  We had something to protect and I attended to ensure that were going to try do everything to keep it. 
In our pep talk we managed to relay the positions again and what we expected so the second half got underway with the Sharks looking to protect and maybe extend our lead.
Josh and Harry both starting growing in the second half of this challenging game.  Josh had his best game to date, managed to chase most balls and even hurried forward and had a decent shot on goal as well, so a massive well done to him. Harry found his feet and learned his positional play, getting involved and making some important challenge’s to break up the play.  
The first chance again fell to the opposition, with a looping shot that appeared to have beaten Dylan but was cleared off the line by a stunning defensive header preserving our lead for the time being. 
The opposition pushed the Sharks back and tried to break us down but we stood firm and defended in numbers making it as hard as possible for them to get a clear shot on goal. 
By this time both Elliott and Jack has resumed their natural positions, and were aided by Aidan, Liam, Freddie and Caleb all working very hard to break up field to try and extend our lead and make life a little more comfortable. 
This nearly came with a rare venture up field; Elliott once again provided the injection of energy needed to break through the opposition’s defensive line, and passed the ball to Freddie who controlled the ball well, created a little bit of space and took a shot.  The keeper saved it but never managed to collect it, so Freddie was able to have another go, this time it came back off the post. This bounced straight to Elliott who was steaming into the box. He struck the ball well but the keeper, once again, made a fantastic save, and the chance was over.
The game continued in the same fashion, the opposition pushing forward and the Sharks defending stoutly, with the whole team doing extremely well they deserved the lead that they had been protecting for nearly the whole game. 
As the game was about to finish, the boys were tired, because the pitch was heavy and they had worked so hard in this game, the opposition got one final chance, they broke down our left hard side, and had a decent shot on goal, which Dylan denied brilliantly and Sharks survived another scare. 
So the full time whistle blew, and the Sharks had managed to see out the game and protect the one goal that they had scored.  A massive well done to all the boys, not the free scoring games that we are used to but happy with the clean sheet and how the boys dug in and protected this lead. 
So onto next week, and we will look to build on this result.

​With the sharks looking to continue the winning streak and add a third victory in a row we were positive that this could be accomplished even with the squad having a number of players still to return from the international break and a player that was injured receiving treatment.
So the Sharks started with Dylan in goal, Jack, Giacomo, Aidan, Caleb, Harry and Liam with no subs due to Elliott, Jake, Josh and Freddie not being available. 
The game started positively enough, with lots of energy and running from the boys. Giacomo and Jack were particularly busy, with Giacomo battling for the ball in the center of midfield trying to make an impacted and looking to control the speed of the game. 
But it was the opposition that managed to take the lead, against the run of play to be honest.  After some stout defending and a number of corners later, the opposition took another corner and there was a small scramble in the box, the ball then broke to an opposition player on the edge of the box who had a pop shot at goal, I can only say that it took everyone by surprise as no one reacted and the ball dribbled into our net. 
I was fearing the worst, but the Sharks proved once again that they are tough and managed to fight their way back into the game.  The Sharks kept pushing trying to find a way to draw themselves level in game that they were more than capable of winning even with the reduced amount of players. 
After 5 minutes of being behind, the Sharks managed to draw themselves level.  This came about via an own goal from the opposition defender, but I can still hear Jack trying to claim that he should be credited with the goal as he was the last person that touched the ball for the Sharks.  With Liam and Aidan looking at running the channels and getting the space that they needed, and Caleb closing down and applying pressure where possible, the Sharks managed to get a corner, not for the first time in the game, but this was the most important. 
Jack took a wonderful corner, lofting the ball towards the penalty spot where Aidan had placed himself. As the ball dropped into the box Aidan applied pressure, the ball cannoned off a defender into the net.  It was well deserved for the effort that the lads had been putting in. 
The Sharks, continued to press for another try to take the lead for the first time, with Giacomo fast becoming an important player for the Sharks.  He had a couple of really good chances, but was guilty of snatching at his shots sometimes or over running them, something that we will be working on. But credit must be given to the oppositions goal keeper, as he did manage to save a few that I thought he shouldn’t have been given a chance to. 
As the first half was coming to a close, the Sharks fell behind again, this time to a sloppy goal that we would normal not concede. Dylan tried his best but was not able to stop the shot. So the Sharks had to find a way of getting themselves back into the game again. 
This duly came through a solo effort from Giacomo, he collected the ball high up the pitch rode a challenge, and was then clear on goal.  He lined up his shot and managed to smash the ball past the stranded opposition goal keeper.  So with the score level the first half finished level. 
Caleb bravely took over in goal allowing Dylan to have a half on the pitch.  As the second half got underway it was much of the same. All the lads were working extremely hard, to try and find a way to score a goal and take the lead.  This even lead to the boys tackling each other to get the ball. This is something that needs to stop because we had a number of promising attacks break down because of this. 
Jack was remaining a threat at the back, being composed on the ball and always looking to make that telling pass, even to the point that he was taking risks that were not needed, and as it turned out this lead to the opposition taking the lead once again through one of these risks. 
Jack was trying to play out from the back, trying to make the difference, but was caught with the ball, this then gave the opposition a clear run on goal which they took gleefully. This meant that once again the Sharks had to pick themselves up and try and draw level. 
As the second half was half way complete, the Sharks managed to bite back and draw level once again, showing great amounts of character and belief that they could win this game.  Giacomo once again was the goal scorer, making him the leading scorer for Sharks this season so far. He collected the ball and drove at goal holding off a number of challenge’s before striking the ball home to pull the Sharks level. 
On the balance of play, I felt that the Sharks had enough now to go on and win the game, but the boys were now beginning to tire and stopped tracking back and defending as they should and this gave the opposition the opportunity to take the lead again. Which they promptly did. 
With more chances wasted from the Sharks the game finished in defeat, but with lots of positives from every boy and that is the most important thing. I wouldn’t normal highlight for each boy but I thought it only right in this occasion. 
 Liam battled very well and showed good control and touch.  Giacomo showed loads of energy as normal and carried a goal threat.  Jack showed good composure, and ball play, and defended very well.   Caleb showed good energy closing the opposition down, and willingness to play in goal.   Aidan was composed on the ball, and looked a threat when given a chance to go forward. Harry showed his defensive skill, and willingness to close the ball down. And Dylan showed he should perhaps be the Shark’s goal keeper as he had some good saves. 
Well done boys, and thanks for the support of all the parents as this team wouldn’t be anything without you.